This invention relates to a method and apparatus for concurrent registration of multimode (voice and data) subscribers in telecommunications networks.
While the invention is particularly directed to the art of telecommunications, and will be thus described with specific reference thereto, it will be appreciated that the invention may have usefulness in other fields and applications.
By way of background, in 2000, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) released the technical specifications for third generation (3G) International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) technology under the brand IMT-2000, commonly referred to simply as 3G. 3G has a number of benefits over second generation (2G) technology, including increased transmission rates (e.g., a minimum speed of 2 Mbit/s for stationary users and 348 kbit/s in a moving vehicle versus 2G speeds ranging from 9.6 kbit/s to 28.8 kbit/s), support for the three predominant access technologies (Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)), and support for a wide range of value-added services such as wireless Internet access, wireless Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), personalized content delivery (news, stock quotes, etc.), entertainment, and video conferencing.
The recently developed High-Speed Data for Enterprises (HSDe) has caused cellular service providers around the world to evaluate different broadband access technology choices, including high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), CDMA, 1×EV-DO (1× Evolution—Data Only), WiFi/WiMax, Cable and DSL and the like. HSDe is a complete end-to-end solution that removes any barriers to adoption of 3G HSD in the minds of the end user and the Mobile Operator.
The fastest mobile wireless data networks in the world today are generally thought to be the CDMA and UMTS networks. The WiFi/WiMax networks are also high speed data networks, but they have yet to provide the necessary mobility for data subscribers. Persuaded by the winning combination of high revenue services and low network costs, these high speed data networks are being deployed all around the world. As data applications become compelling and data speeds increase, data usage per subscriber has increased dramatically.
Initial capital expenditures can be reduced by deploying data networks (e.g., 1×EV-DO) selectively, since some of the data networks (e.g., 1×EV-DO) handsets support circuit voice networks (e.g., 1×RTT). As a handset roams outside an area covered by the data network (e.g. 1×EV-DO), it can seamlessly handoff to circuit voice and data network (e.g., 1×RTT network), without losing connectivity. While consumers are signing up for the data services wherever they are available, the service providers are faced with a challenge of providing a common place for the registration of the voice and data subscribers in their networks.
Operators have been challenged to respond quickly to demand for broadband access. While the demand for data services grows, such service is still not fast enough for most data users. If it becomes more widely adopted, it will impact the voice capacity of the existing networks that leads to the deployment of the high speed data networks.
Currently, a multimode handset (e.g., providing both voice and high speed data) registers separately into the voice and data wireless networks. With the current network design, however, a wireless service provider needs to maintain the HLR (Home Location Register) and AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) servers on separate platforms as different network elements and provision the database separately for the same multimode handset. Furthermore, the protocol interworking between voice and data, user-mobility benefits, zero down time upgrade, load-balancing, etc. cannot be achieved. Additionally the operational costs are very high when using separate HLR and AAA servers in the operator's network.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved method and apparatus that resolves the above-referenced difficulties and others. In particular, this invention provides an innovative way of providing voice and data registration of multimode (voice and data) handset subscribers at a common place.